STATEMENT FROM ANDREW GOUNARDES CELEBRATING "FAIR STUDENT FUNDING" AND (AGAIN) CALLING ON ALBANY TO GIVE SCHOOLS THE BILLIONS IT OWES THEM

27 Schools in the 22nd Senate District to Receive Funds

(Brooklyn, NY) - Democratic candidate for State Senate Andrew Gounardes issued the following statement in response to an increase of $125 million in fair student funding for New York public schools:

"As a public school graduate, I am excited to see that New York City will devote $125 million in 'Fair Student Funding' to help some of our most disadvantaged public schools. In my district, 27 schools will qualify for this critical funding that will help principals hire staff, purchase materials and finance school programs. The money will be an extremely valuable resource for the schools that need it most. This is what we should be doing to help our students.

What we should not be doing is preventing schools from receiving billions of dollars that the state owes them — and yet that's exactly what Marty Golden and his fellow Albany Republicans have done for years. Albany still owes New York City public schools $1.9 billion, and $63 million specifically for schools in our district.

Marty Golden has no problem giving away real estate tax breaks for Manhattan billionaires, but when it comes time to deliver for students in our community, he’s missing in action. Maybe he’d pay more attention if students could make hefty campaign contributions, like the luxury real estate developer who received a 95% real estate abatement thanks to Golden. Until then, they have no voice in Albany advocating for them and they suffer because of it.

All our students deserve a top-quality education, and when I am elected State Senator, I will do everything in my power to see that happen."

A full list of the schools receiving funding in the 22nd district is below:

PS 52 SHEEPSHEAD BAY

PS 222 KATHERINE R SNYDER

JHS 278 MARINE PARK

PS 195 MANHATTAN BEACH

PS 127 MCKINLEY PARK

PS 185 WALTER KASSENBROCK

JHS 201 DYKER HEIGHTS (THE)

JHS 259 WILLIAM MCKINLEY

PS 101 VERRAZANO (THE)

IS 228 DAVID A BOODY

INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL AT LAFAYETTE

HIGH SCHOOL OF SPORTS MANAGEMENT

KINGSBOROUGH EARLY COLLEGE SCHOOL

BROOKLYN STUDIO SECONDARY SCHOOL

PS 112 LEFFERTS PARK

PS 176 OVINGTON

PS 186 DR IRVING A GLADSTONE

PS 205 CLARION

JHS 227 EDWARD B SHALLOW

PS 247

NEW UTRECHT HIGH SCHOOL

HIGH SCHOOL OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY

PS 207 ELIZABETH G LEARY

PS 277 GERRITSEN BEACH

PS 102 BAYVIEW (THE)

RALPH A FABRIZIO SCHOOL

FORT HAMILTON HIGH SCHOOL

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Gounardes is an attorney and community advocate running for the State Senate in the 22nd District, which includes Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach, and Gravesend, as well as portions of of Sheepshead Bay, Borough Park, and Midwood. He is graduate of Fort Hamilton High School, Hunter College and the George Washington University Law School. He serves as Counsel to Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, was a former aide to Councilmember Vincent Gentile, and served on Community Board 10. You can read more at www.andrewgounardes.com.